Axagon EEM2-SB2 in detail
Perhaps the Axagon EEM2-SB2 will be the SSD (M.2) enclosure that you will evaluate as “optimal” for frequent carrying to work, for example. It has a number of external features to indicate this. From the small dimensions, low weight, to the good-looking brushed aluminum shell surface and the above-standard SSD support (both NVMe and SATA). The cable with a pair of different USB connectors included with this case is also handy.
Axagon EEM2-SB2 in detail
The smallest of the SSD enclosures tested to date. The Axagon EEM2-SB2 is smaller in terms of volume, even compared to the small Netac WH61 enclosure, by about 17%. The Axagon enclosure is shorter (93.4 mm), thinner (12.5 mm), and the only dimension in which it outgrows the Netac enclosure is the larger width (40.9 mm). Overall, though, it’s a nicely compact enclosure that fits even in a smaller shirt pocket. Weight? 33 grams without an SSD.
The supported interface is USB 3.2 gen. 2, so expected read and write speeds are above 1000 MB/s when it comes to transferring larger than small files. With those, the speeds are lower with all SSD enclosures or with any external SSD.
For better connectivity options, Axagon includes a cable in the accessories where you can insert a USB-A connector on top of the USB-C connector. This comes in handy in cases where the Type-C ports, which are often fewer in number, are already occupied by other devices. However, to use maximum performance, it is necessary to connect the SSD enclosure to at least a 10-gigabit USB port.
The shell of the EEM2-SB2 enclosure is aluminum with a brushed surface finish. The variant with this end marking is completely in black and if you like brighter things, you will be interested in the enclosure with the marking EEM2-SG2. That one is gray, the rest of the specs are otherwise the same.
For more efficient cooling, there is a grille by the USB-C connector, or behind the M.2 slot. Thanks to it, heat might not accumulate from the SSD as much as when it’s part of the structure.
The inside of the case can be accessed by releasing the latch on the shorter side. You don’t need any tools to do this, you just “push it out” with your fingers. The mechanism works so that this wall has a tooth that fits into the counter piece, which is a tray with the PCB of the enclosure. The tray thus slides out when the retaining wall is removed, and quite easily. So be careful not to damage it typically by dropping it on the ground during disassembly. After all, the structure of the tray is already plastic, and there is probably some risk that something might break somewhere in unfortunate circumstances.
SSDs can be installed in 42, 60 and 80 mm lengths.
They are traditionally inserted into the M.2 slot at one end (M and B+M locks are supported) and secured with a plastic pin at the other end. The Axagon EEM2-SB2 enclosure accommodates both NVMe and SATA SSDs. Axagon’s instructions actually advise about the use of a thermal pad, which dissipates heat into the aluminum casing, in connection with NVMe models, with which higher performance will be achieved and they will also heat up more.
Installation is essentially very simple and quick, but especially considering the more delicate securing of the whole enclosure, some falls on the ground are not expected. In that case, the enclosure could possibly fly apart into more parts than you would like. It’s design is simply not like the TUF Gaming A1, but then again, this Axagon enclosure is considerably smaller, as you can see in the photo below this text.
Communication between PCIe/SATA and USB is provided by the Realtek RTL9210B integrated circuit. The blue LED next to the USB-C connector indicates that everything is plugged in correctly and there is some activity.
Testing methodology
The foundation for all measurements is CrystalDiskMark with a library size of 1 GB. We test SSD speed in two situations. Before load and then, after a 10-minute load for maximum sequential reads and writes. This will reveal how warming up the external enclosure affects the speed with the Samsung 980 Pro SSD (1 TB). The values of the speed measurements are averaged over three passes for greater accuracy. The enclosures are connected via a USB expansion card (3.2 gen. 2×2) – the Renkforce RF-4538236 with the ASMedia ASM3242 controller. The tests run on an Asus ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi motherboard with an Intel Core i9-13900K processor (and G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo memory – 2×16 GB, 6000 MHz/CL30) under Microsoft Windows 10 (22H2).
We measure power consumption using a custom-made PCIe power meter, which you’ll also know from graphics card tests. This is plugged in before the PCIe card (with a USB controller), whose consumption is part of the result. We measure the power consumption under load for maximum sequential read and write speeds.
We only observe the temperature on the surface, on the casing. Be careful when evaluating it, a higher temperature doesn’t automatically mean a worse result (think thermal pad tests and heatsink temperatures…), but it doesn’t mean a better one either. The guiding factor here from a cooling perspective would be SSD temperature, but we have no control over that. The test SSD does have its sensors, but once it (the SSD) is plugged into the enclosure, the motherboard can no longer reach them. So we only do IR thermal mapping (with a Fluke Ti125 thermal imager), which can at least show how the heat is spreading through the enclosure and whether it will burn you. Thermal imaging is for the finned side of an enclosure or the side in contact with the SSD controller (if the enclosure does not have fins).
During testing, the SSD enclosures are always placed in the same position – longitudinally, in an open space, where they stand on the pad with the bottom side facing down. The airflow in the test room is always comparable, with the temperature at the control point varying between 21,0 and 21,3 °C.
It’s a shame that you couldn’t read the SSD temperature. I don’t think any of this type of slide-in cases can achieve good thermal dissipation – it’s physically impossible for the thermal pad to have good contact with the casing.
Additionally, there is a possibility that the thermal pad could stick to both the housing and the components during long-term usage, making it difficult to open the box. There is a risk of damaging the components by careless opening.